HBCU Green Fund

What HBCU Green Fund does

HBCU Green Fund, operating as The Green Fund since its 2025 rebrand, is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Forest Park, Georgia, with a regional operations hub in Yene, Senegal. The organization builds climate justice programming for HBCU students and Black communities across Africa and the African diaspora, operating in approximately 20 countries. Its portfolio is structured around four core offerings: the HBCU Green Fund Fellows Program (training HBCU students in energy audits and climate justice advocacy), Eco Spring Break (immersion trips to Senegal in partnership with REDES Eco-villages), The Green Fund Africa (microgrants and capacity-building for youth climate leaders in 11 sub-Saharan African countries), and HBCU Community Hubs (eco-friendly physical spaces in underserved neighborhoods near HBCU campuses).

Underlying these programs is a modest but purposeful technology footprint centered on Pan-Afri Globe, a citizen-science data collection initiative modeled on NASA's GLOBE Program that aggregates community-collected climate and weather observations into a centralized database spanning Africa, the Caribbean, and North America. Adjacent digital infrastructure supports virtual convenings (BIPOC Climate Dialogue, Pre-COP Africa Summit), donation processing, and content distribution through a blog, YouTube channel, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

The organization's revenue model is donation- and grant-driven rather than commercial. It operates structured donation tiers ranging from $10 (Power of Ten Campaign, designed to fund one student-managed Green Fund per HBCU student) up to $1,000 (full Eco Spring Break sponsorship), supplemented by foundation and government grants. Major disclosed institutional funders include the Bezos Earth Fund (supporting the West Atlanta Green Initiative), and it maintains strategic partnerships with the U.S. Department of Energy, EPA, National Science Foundation, UN Climate Change Secretariat, UNCF, Morehouse College, and Cornell University. The GTM motion is community-led and event-driven, anchored by recurring COP advocacy events, Green Fest, and Pre-COP summits that serve as donor cultivation and partnership development touchpoints.

Name

HBCU Green Fund

Legal name

HBCU Green Fund, LLC

Website

https://hbcugreenfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HBCU Green Fund (The Green Fund) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mobilizes HBCU students and Black communities across roughly 20 countries through climate fellowships, Africa microgrants, community hubs, and citizen-science climate data collection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Climate Justice Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Climate Finance Funds & Green Investment Facilities (BPADACAH)

Keywords

• Climate justice programs
• Environmental nonprofit
• Community sustainability
• Clean energy training
• Climate fellowships

Headquarters

HQ city

Forest Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: The organization raises funds through donations from individuals and grants from foundations and government agencies to support climate programs, fellowships, and community initiatives.
2. Fellowship Program Contributions: Individual donations designated for the HBCU Green Fund Fellows Program, funding clean energy training workshops, materials, and travel for sustainability fellows.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

HBCU Green Fund (now operating as The Green Fund) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers climate justice and sustainability programs for HBCU students, African youth, and Black communities worldwide. Core offerings include the HBCU Green Fund Fellows Program (student training in energy audits and climate advocacy), Eco Spring Break (immersive service-learning in Senegal), The Green Fund Africa (microgrants and resources in 11 sub-Saharan African countries), HBCU Community Hubs (eco-friendly multi-use spaces near HBCU campuses), and Community Resiliency initiatives (Pan-Afri Globe, BIPOC Climate Dialogue, Pre-COP Africa Summit).

Product overview

The Green Fund (formerly HBCU Green Fund) is a climate justice nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs that empower HBCUs and Black communities worldwide to drive social justice and sustainability. The core offerings include the HBCU Green Fund Fellows Program for student leadership development, Eco Spring Break for immersive sustainability experiences in Africa, The Green Fund Africa providing micro grants and resources across 11 sub-Saharan African countries, and HBCU Community Hubs creating eco-friendly multi-use spaces in underserved neighborhoods. Supporting programs include Community Resiliency initiatives (Pan-Afri Globe, BIPOC Climate Dialogue, Pre-COP Africa Summit), the Power of 10 Campaign for student-managed sustainability funds, and numerous country-specific projects focused on clean energy, reforestation, climate education, and sustainable agriculture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HBCU Green Fund Fellows Program Equips historically Black college and university (HBCU) students with skills, knowledge, and mentorship to become leaders in green innovation and the clean economy through training in energy audits and climate justice advocacy.
• Eco Spring Break Immersive service-learning program in Senegal (in partnership with REDES Eco-villages) where students engage in sustainability projects including reforestation, clean energy, and conservation with cross-cultural learning.
• The Green Fund Africa Supports young climate leaders in sub-Saharan Africa through microgrants and resources to empower community-driven solutions for climate resilience and sustainability across 11 African countries.
• HBCU Community Hubs Innovative, eco-friendly, multi-use spaces created to promote sustainability, entrepreneurship, and community resilience in underserved neighborhoods near HBCU campuses.
• Community Resiliency Provides energy, agriculture, environmental, and sustainability education and support to help communities become more climate resilient, food secure, and productive.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22 fellows trained in energy audits and climate justice advocacy
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United States Department of EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partnership supporting clean energy initiatives and climate research programs within HBCU communities.
• United States Environmental Protection AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental protection partnership advancing environmental justice initiatives in Black and marginalized communities.
• National Science FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch and STEM education partnership supporting climate science education and citizen science initiatives.
• United Nations Climate Change SecretariatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal observer status enabling youth delegate participation in UN Climate Conferences (COP) and advocacy for African and diaspora communities.
• Pan African Climate Justice AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partnership amplifying African climate voices and advancing climate justice advocacy at continental and global levels.
• United Negro College FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2024 partnership on deep dive into HBCU green initiatives, building on 2014 HBCU Green Report legacy.
• Morehouse College Institute for Cooperative Economic LeadershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership supporting the HBCU Green Fund Hub in West Atlanta through cooperative business models and eco-entrepreneur incubation.
• Cornell UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for the ACEE-CHANGE Fellowship program in Sierra Leone, providing environmental education and civic engagement training.
• REDES Eco-villagescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenegal-based partner hosting HBCU Eco Spring Break programs, providing hands-on sustainability experience in West African communities.
• The Chisholm Legacy ProjectminorGTM or Marketing PartnerResource hub partnership providing climate justice guides, policy briefs, funding opportunities, and self-care strategies for Black frontline leaders.
• U.S. ACE CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition partnership in the West Atlanta Project supporting climate resilience and environmental justice initiatives.
• Environmental Defense FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental advocacy partnership supporting climate policy and sustainability initiatives.
• GroundswellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate advocacy organization partnership advancing environmental justice programming.
• Harambee House CFEJminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner organization advancing climate justice and environmental equity.
• DP WorldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenegal trade mission partner engaged regarding billion-dollar logistics project in Yene, expanding organization's Senegal operations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Green For All: Green For All builds an inclusive green economy focused on climate equity and frontline communities — closely aligned with The Green Fund's HBCU Community Hubs, Eco Spring Break, and green jobs training model.
• United Negro College Fund (UNCF): UNCF is the leading nonprofit supporting HBCUs through scholarships, capacity-building, and institutional partnerships. The Green Fund's 2024 partnership with UNCF on HBCU green initiatives and overlapping HBCU audience makes it the closest operational peer.
• NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program: NAACP's Environmental and Climate Justice Program advocates for BIPOC communities on environmental equity, paralleling The Green Fund's climate justice mission targeting Black communities and HBCU campuses.
• WE ACT for Environmental Justice: WE ACT focuses on environmental justice in communities of color through advocacy, civic engagement, and partnerships — overlapping with The Green Fund's community resiliency programming and BIPOC Climate Dialogue.
• Climate Justice Alliance: Climate Justice Alliance is a coalition of frontline organizations advancing community-led climate solutions — overlapping with The Green Fund's grassroots mobilization, COP advocacy, and African community programming.
• The Solutions Project: The Solutions Project accelerates a just transition to 100% clean energy with a focus on frontline communities, sharing the Green Fund's emphasis on BIPOC-led climate leadership and HBCU/community-level engagement.
• Minorities in Energy: Minorities in Energy is a DOE-affiliated initiative advancing minority participation in the energy sector — overlapping with The Green Fund's Fellows Program, energy audit training, and clean energy career pathways for HBCU students.
• Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA): PACJA is a coalition of African civil society organizations advancing climate justice on the continent — The Green Fund is a formal coalition partner, making PACJA a direct strategic peer in Pan-African climate advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• Environmental Defense Fund: EDF is an established environmental advocacy organization with much larger scale; the Green Fund's partnership with EDF reflects overlapping environmental policy work, though EDF operates broadly while the Green Fund focuses on Black community climate action.

Emerging players

• Earth Uprising: Earth Uprising is a youth-led climate advocacy organization that mobilizes young people at UN climate processes — closely aligned with the Green Fund's COP youth delegate model and BIPOC Climate Dialogue.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRDc6fprADrAdoxFEpHiNkQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/100016132112998
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hbcugreenfund
• Instagraminstagram.com/hbcugreenfund
• TikToktiktok.com/@thehbcugreenfund
• Xx.com/HBCUGreenFund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HBCU Green Fund